Page 14 of Her Fake Island Wedding

Chapter Eight

“Wow,” Bryce said at last as he and Lucy stood facing each other outside the closed door to Justine’s suite.

Lucy arched a cynical eyebrow at him. “Most men have that sort of reaction to Justine, strangely enough.”

“That wasn’t a good ‘wow’.” He reached for her hand and they walked back to the elevator together. “That was a ‘wow, your mother is a real piece of work’ wow.”

“You think?” Lucy darted a sideways look at him, wondering what he meant. Men young and old tended to be so blinded by Justine’s beauty they didn’t notice her bitchiness.

“I don’t mean to disrespect your mother, but she was an absolute bitch to you.” Bryce looked furious on her behalf, and Lucy melted.

“Same shit, different day,” she said with a shrug. “I was always a disappointment, from the day my father decided to deny paternity before I was even born. Maybe she could have overlooked that if I’d been the perfect little mini-me she wanted, but I wasn’t… I was a sickly baby, demanding and difficult, and then I grew up far more interested in shells and starfish than clothes and makeup.”

“I know about being a disappointment.” Bryce’s hand tightened on hers as the elevator doors opened and they stepped into the empty car. “Even so. Denigrating you right to your face, in front of your friends, that’s pretty low.”

“Suddenly my reasoning for wanting to present her with a fiancé seems quite sensible, huh?”

“Damn right it does.” Turning to her, he took her other hand so that he held them both and looked earnestly into her eyes. “I’ve no doubt she’s been putting you down your whole life, but please believe me, Lucy. You’re brilliant and funny and just as beautiful as your mother; more so because you have a beautiful soul. I’ve never heard you say a truly unkind word about anyone, not even your mother, who certainly deserves it.”

Her smile was a little bit wobbly as she gazed back up at him. “Believe me, sometimes Justine pushes me too far. I have no doubt I’ll be venting in your ear at some point and tarnishing that image you have of my ‘beautiful soul’.”

“Never,” Bryce said softly, and Lucy had the strangest impression that he was leaning down towards her, just a little bit. His gaze lowered slightly.

Is he looking at my lips?Instinctively she licked them, and Bryce leaned closer still.

“Lucy.” It was a soft breath against her lips, and she angled her face up, eyes drifting closed.

He’s going to kiss me…

Warm lips slanted down over hers, and she parted instinctively for him, breath coming quickly as the tip of his tongue traced lightly over her upper lip.

A loudpingshattered the moment, as the elevator doors slid open on the hotel lobby… and Jill’s speculative expression.

Face burning, Lucy sprang back, yanking her hands from Bryce’s grasp. “Thanks for helping Mum with her case,” she gabbled quickly. “I’m just gonna get her a couple of water bottles to put in her fridge, make sure she drinks plenty. I’ll see how she’s doing with the jet lag, she might just want a room service dinner and an early night, but if she wants to eat out I’ll text you and maybe you can join us?” Her words were falling all over each other, but Bryce just nodded, giving her a warm smile before stepping back and making his escape.

Jill was giving her a very knowing look, as she escorted two VIP clients into the elevator. “Deets later!” she hissed at Lucy just before the doors slid closed.

* * *

Bruce could still taste Lucy on his lips as he headed back to his cabin, where he found Rosie and Cory hastily shoving his belongings into bags.

“Uh, am I moving?” He arched a brow, leaning in the doorway to watch.

“Yes, because Lucy’s mother is going to want to see where you two live, and it’s going to be pretty damn obvious you’re not living together if none of your shit is in her room.” Rosie never slowed her speedy packing, and Cory didn’t even look up.

Realising she was right, Bryce blew out his cheeks and went to join them. “So I’m moving in with her, am I?”

“Her cabin’s nicer than yours,” Cory said with a sideways grin at him. “She’s got pictures up on the walls and everything.”

Bryce supposed his room did look a bit bare. He’d never really thought of it as more than a place to lay his head when he needed to sleep, though, preferring to be outside or spending time with friends. His favourite place in the cabin was actually the hammock outside on the deck, which he paused to unhitch before following Rosie and Cory, laden with bags, off to Lucy’s cabin.

The three of them spent a hasty half hour arranging things in Lucy’s cabin, which Bryce had never seen, and had to admit it was a lot nicer than his, despite having the same basic layout. Lucy had several framed pictures of ocean life on the walls, soft cushions on her couch, a woven silk throw on the bed; all the little things that made it look like a home.

They’d just finished reorganising Lucy’s wardrobe to have Bryce’s clothes fit in alongside hers when his phone vibrated with an incoming text.

“It’s Lucy,” he said, checking it.Mum wants a drink. Meet you at the pool bar?

“Text her back, tell her to meet you here,” Cory suggested.

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